Wayback Wednesdays 11 - Generations: 2015
by The Real JL Rules
Summary: Based on the 2001 animated series. J'onn J'onzz's Human guise is under threat, while the growing Wayne family faces a loss... Originally written in 2003.
1. Chapter 1

_DISCLAIMERS/NOTES_

 _1\. This is a fan fiction based on characters owned by DC Comics. I DO NOT OWN THEM. This is just for fun._

 _2\. As always, I'll point out_ _ **this was written over a decade ago**_ _. Here in the UK, Season 2 of the JL cartoon had yet to air, so Hawkgirl had not been revealed as a spy. And the massive, every-hero-in-the-DCU roster of_ Unlimited _wasn't a factor. My timeline picks up after the Season 1 finale,_ The Savage Time _. All my_ Wayback Wednesday _stories are numbered chronologically, if you get stuck._

 _3\. W_ _hen I originally wrote this, 2015 was **twelve years in the future**._

 _4\. I misspelt Katar Hol's name throughout this._

 _5\. There are aspects of these stories that, in hindsight, I would change._ _However, I have kept them as I originally wrote them for history's sake. Not laziness._

* * *

THE STORY SO FAR…

Superman/Clark Kent  
Age (approx): Mid 40s (age slowed)  
The world's greatest hero, the Man of Steel is married to Lois Lane, they have two children, Joel, five, and Lara, two.

Batman/Bruce Wayne  
Age (approx): Mid-to-late 40s  
Still the Dark Knight, Batman protects Gotham at night, leading his group of vigilantes. He is happily married to Diana, and finally is enjoying life.

Wonder Woman/Diana Wayne  
Age (approx): N/A  
The chairwoman of the Justice League, Diana is still married to Batman, and looks after their four children at Wayne Manor, as well as leading the world's greatest superteam.

Green Lantern/John Stewart  
Age (approx): Late 40s (age slowed by power ring)  
Spending more time away from Earth on missions for the Green Lantern Corps, John Stewart has been replaced as Earth's GL by Kyle Rayner, who returned after assignments around the galaxy. His relationship with Shayera dissolved, and they divorced, sharing custody of their two children, Tarran and John Jr.

Flash/Wally West  
Age (approx): Late 30s  
Deciding to forget about Shayera, Flash rekindled his relationship with Linda Park and they married, having one child, a daughter, Megan. Though more mature, he still faces life with an upbeat and fun-loving attitude. He has a special bond with Faith Wayne, and sees her as a second daughter.

J'onn J'onzz/John Johns  
Age (approx): N/A  
Still uncomfortable around Humans, J'onn still continues his life as Detective John Jones at the New York Police Department. He is still a member of the Justice League, where he feels the most at home.

Hawkgirl/Shayera Hol  
Age (approx): Late 30s  
Finally returning to Thanagar, Shayera was reunited with her old boyfriend Kator Hol. As her husband John Stewart spent more time away on missions, Shayera's feelings for Kator returned, and they began an affair. When Stewart returned, they divorced and she married Kator. She has main custody of her and John's two children, Tarran and John Jr, and is expecting a child with Kator.

Wonder Girl/Faith Wayne  
Age (approx): 11  
Preferring her mother's Amazon background to her father's vigilantism, Faith became Wonder Girl and began training to be as good a hero as her parents. She is particularly close to the Flash, and sees him as a big brother.

Robin/Thomas Wayne  
Age (approx): 11  
The eldest son of Batman and Diana, Thomas was handed the Robin mantle when Tim Drake retired. Stronger and more invulnerable thanks to his Amazon DNA, he still nevertheless looks up to his father and tries to aspire to be as good as him.

PART 1

Batman sat at the Batcomputer, updating his files. It had been a busy time. Two-Face had escaped for the twenty-second time. Harley Quinn had left the Joker and gone with Poison Ivy, where they had disappeared together. He did not see them as a threat, as neither had caused much trouble recently, but in the interests of security, he had to keep tabs on them.

Selina had come out of retirement and had tried to win his affections by doing good deeds. He thought she had turned over a new leaf, but everytime he spurned her advances, she would undo the good she did and leave him to pick up the pieces.

Kirk Langstrom, after years of controlling his condition, had reverted to his Man-Bat form and tried to kill his ex-wife. It took the entire Batclan to bring him down.

James Gordon had retired as police commissioner, and had been replaced by Harvey Bullock, who had matured over the years and was a respected officer. However, he still had a problem with Batman and his partners.

Still, despite all that… life was good.

He heard footsteps behind him, and turned his chair around. He smiled, as the reason he lived stood infront of him.

"Hi," Diana said. "Thomas is almost ready."

Batman stood up. "Good. What are you going to do tonight?"

Diana shrugged. "The same I always do. I'll put the kids to bed, then I'll play chess with Alfred. I finally won yesterday."

Batman went upto her, and raised his arms, stroking hers slowly. "I'll be at the Watchtower tomorrow."

"You better be," Diana said with a smile. "It's a meeting, and I won't have anyone, not even my husband, not turn up."

Batman moved his arms higher to her shoulders. "You let me miss them quite often, though."

"Only because I like to punish you later…" Diana looked at him seductively. Batman went red.

"Will Clark be there?" he asked.

"Which one," Diana said. "Superman or our son?"

"Both," Batman said.

"Superman said he'll be there, if he can make it. As for Clark, he has school."

"Listen," said Batman. "Next week, Dick and Barbara will cover Gotham. That'll give me all week to spend with you."

Diana smiled wide. "That would be lovely," she said. "I'm going to have to give you a present for that…"

Batman frowned. "Present?"

Diana put her arms around the back of his neck. "Well, here's a small taster…" She then leaned close, and pressed her lips against his. He returned the kiss, but she increased the pressure, surprising him. She pushed his head closer, kissing him harder. He ran his hands through her hair, losing himself in the embrace.

She ended the kiss, and looked at him lovingly. "Get the idea?"

Batman smiled. "I think so."

"Good. And I'll have another taster when you get home tonight."

Batman's eyes widened. He then looked behind Diana. "Come on Thomas, we have to get going!"

/

The stars shone brightly outside, the only things lighting the room apart from the desktop lamp. John Jones leaned back in his chair, having finished his paperwork for the day.

There was a time when he would be looking at the stars through a window of the Watchtower, instead of his office at the NYPD. But a lot had happened these past few years. He had created a Human identity for himself, joined the police force, and rose up the ranks to become one of the city's top detectives. He even had his own office.

Yes, life had improved for him. He was no longer just J'onn J'onzz, Martian immigrant trying to fit in with those around him. His closest friends were still his teammates in the Justice League, but he had other friends now. Fellow cops. People in his apartment building. He had found a place for himself in the world.

Still, it would be good to get back to the Watchtower. There was a meeting tomorrow, and he had missed everyone a great deal. The League had been a tight-knit family, but in recent times, the heroes had been spending less time together. Ever since John and Shayera's divorce, the League had seemed less close. It was not Diana's fault, of course – she had done a fine job as the group's chairwoman. It was just… the original members were moving on. Batman was spending more time in Gotham with his children and protégés. John had left Earth and returned to doing interplanetary missions for the Guardians. Shayera had remarried and was living back on Thanagar.

But the meeting tomorrow would be enjoyable. Superman was going to be there, as well as Batman, Earth's current Green Lantern Kyle Rayner, the Flash, Green Arrow, Blue Beetle and Black Canary. And Superman and Batman and Diana would probably bring their children.

John turned off his desktop lamp, and stood up. He stood there, and morphed a coat around him and a hat on his head. He then left his office, and locked his office door. He went down the corridor, tipping his hat to Bob the security guard as he passed him.

He left the building and walked down the Police Department steps. He looked up. It was a beautiful night. He considered going straight to the Watchtower, but decided to go home first. There was a cute girl on his floor who he had spoken to a couple of times while collecting his mail. Hopefully he would see her again.

John walked down the street, looking forward to the evening and day ahead…

Life was good…

After all these years… life was good…

A few minutes later, after John had left the area, a figure in a similar hat and coat crossed the road, and went towards the police station…

/

He lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling.

He had not moved for several minutes.

He did not have the energy.

He blinked as he breathed in and out. His chest hurt everytime he moved it. His lungs strained as it passed air in and out of his body. He had an awful headache, and his hands were trembling.

He thought about his life, as he had done a lot recently. He had spent the majority of his years in this house. The people he had met… the family he had made. He knew it would end someday. He knew he would die here eventually.

He just did not want it to be now.

His surrogate son was enjoying life for the first time. He had a beautiful wife and incredible children, and he could tell in his wife's eyes that she wanted more. The house, once so empty, was now full of the sound of laughs and giggles. And in seeing his son so happy, he himself had had his life reinvigorated.

He did not want to go now. Everything was perfect. He had a real family around him again, after so long. He did not want to leave them. He wanted to share in their times of happiness, and help them in their times of sadness. He loved them all, and wanted to be with them always.

But it was no good fighting it. He was dying. He knew. He had known for months… the tiredness, the pain, the trembling… he had tried to keep it hidden from his family. He did not want to burden them with his problems. And it was not a problem really: it was just life. He was not going to live forever. It was inevitable. And he had led a good life. Despite all the troubles and moments of danger, he loved everyone around him. His son, daughter-in-law and grandchildren. True, they were not relatives by blood, but he loved them all like family.

He did not want to go. He wanted to stay with them. To be with them, watching their lives unfold.

But he was dying.

When he wanted so much to live.

He heard a knock at the door. He slowly turned his head.

"Alfred? Are you in there?"

Alfred sighed at the sound of Diana's voice. It was time for their nightly chess game.

"Alfred?"

Alfred took a deep breath, and pushed himself up with all his strength. He sat on the mattress, putting his hands on his knees.

"Coming, ma'am…" he said weakly.

"No hurry," Diana replied.

Alfred sat there for a few moments, and waited for his hands to stop shaking. He then slowly shuffled off the bed, and walked to the door. He opened it, and stepped out. He then straightened up, and made his face as serious as possible. He then went down the corridor, towards the stairs…

TO BE CONTINUED


	2. Chapter 2

_DISCLAIMERS/NOTES_

 _1\. This is a fan fiction based on characters owned by DC Comics. I DO NOT OWN THEM. This is just for fun._

 _2\. As always, I'll point out_ _ **this was written over a decade ago**_ _. Here in the UK, Season 2 of the JL cartoon had yet to air, so Hawkgirl had not been revealed as a spy. And the massive, every-hero-in-the-DCU roster of_ Unlimited _wasn't a factor. My timeline picks up after the Season 1 finale,_ The Savage Time _. All my_ Wayback Wednesday _stories are numbered chronologically, if you get stuck._

 _3\. There are aspects of these stories that, in hindsight, I would change._ _However, I have kept them as I originally wrote them for history's sake. Not laziness._

* * *

PART 2

The room was full of the sounds of talking. It was always this way before a meeting.

The members of the Justice League were all over the room, chatting amongst themselves in small groups. Flash was with Wonder Girl and J'onn J'onzz, discussing their relationships. Flash was teasing the Martian about the girl in his building, while Wonder Girl was talking about a boy at school.

Green Arrow and his wife Black Canary were setting up an evening with Green Lantern and his girlfriend, Jade. Arrow kept mentioning that he would pass apples to them with arrows.

Superman and Blue Beetle were discussing security upgrades for the Watchtower. Joel and Lara Kent sat in the corner, playing a card game.

"Sshh, they'll hear us."

Everyone turned their heads to the door.

"No, later. Wait until after the mmmm…" The voice went muffled.

Everyone looked at eachother, confused.

Batman and Diana entered the room, and noticed everyone staring at them. They looked embarrassed at eachother. "Er… sorry we're late," Diana said. "Something… came up."

As Diana went to the table, the heroes smiled, some putting their hands over their mouths. However, they all turned away when Batman looked at them.

Diana went to the head of the table, and put her hands on the desk. "If everyone is ready… we'll begin the meeting."

Twenty-five minutes later, the meeting was over, and the room began to empty. Some left the complex altogether, returning to Earth. Some stayed behind, having a drink over a friendly talk.

"OK, so you're telling me," Green Lantern said, "that you competed in the Olympics?"

Flash nodded. "Yep."

"When?" Lantern asked.

"About four years ago… the last Games, in fact." Flash looked at J'onn, who was standing in the corner, his arms folded.

"How far did you get?" Lantern took a sip of his coffee, as he created a comb with his ring for Wonder Girl to comb her hair.

"First place, of course," Flash said. "I'm the Fastest Man Alive."

Lantern looked shocked at him. "Wow, that must have been great. Shame I missed it. You going to compete in the next ones?"

"You were away for years, Kyle," Flash said. "You missed a lot. And yes, I do plan on competing again next time."

Lantern looked at J'onn. "Is this true?"

"Yes," J'onn said flatly. "You were away for years."

Flash slammed his palm on the table. "And the Martian makes a funny! Boya!"

Lantern groaned. "Very funny. What I meant was, as you well know, did this guy compete in the Olympics?"

Flash and J'onn exchanged glances. Then, they, along with Wonder Girl, burst into laughter. Tears began to pour down Flash's eyes, he was laughing so much. "Oh Kyle, you're such an easy target!"

Lantern folded his arms. "Go run into a brick wall, Flash."

Flash was about to speak, when Black Canary ran into the room. "Guys, have you seen the news?"

"No," J'onn said. "What is it?"

Canary went upto the screen on the wall, and turned it on. A picture of a building appeared, with a crowd of people around the entrance. "And our top story again," a news reporter's voice said, "there was a brutal mass-murder at the New York Police Department last night."

J'onn's eyes widened. "What…?"

"The Police Commissioner, as well as several officers, was killed in his office. There was evidence of a struggle, and all the victims were brutally beaten."

"My God…" Flash said. "J'onn, do you know anything about this?"

"No…" J'onn said.

"The murder weapon, a department issue handgun, was found by the Commissioner's body. Fingerprints have identified the murderer."

J'onn leaned against the table.

"Detective John Jones."

/

J'onn sat in the chair, his mind foggy. He rested his hands on the arm of the chair, staring at the desk infront of him. His body felt numb. He heard the ticking of the clock on the wall.

Superman and Diana sat behind the desk, looking at him. They both had worried expressions on their faces, and J'onn could sense their emotions. They were concerned, confused… but not as much as him.

"J'onn…" Diana said. "What happened?"

"Nothing happened," J'onn said. "I know nothing about this. I'm as surprised as you are."

"J'onn," said Superman, "there's fingerprint and video evidence. John Jones killed those officers."

J'onn held his hands out. "I didn't… I swear… I wasn't at work that night… I'd left by then…"

"I've asked Batman to investigate the crime scene," Diana said. "So far, there is no evidence that it wasn't you. No other alien DNA was found at the scene. Just Martian."

J'onn dipped his head. How could this be happening? He had returned home, had a quick talk with the girl in his building, and left that same night for the Watchtower.

"Where were you at the time of the murder?" Superman asked.

J'onn looked up at him. "I was…" He suddenly realised he was alone at that time. He was on his way to the Watchtower, making the long flight up. He had contacted no one in that time. No one could coloborate his story. "I was… on my way here," he said.

"Any witnesses?" Diana said.

J'onn sighed. "No." He straightened up. "Superman, Diana. You've known me for thirteen years. I would never commit murder. Especially so senselessly. Why would I want to kill my colleagues?"

"J'onn, we don't believe you did this," Superman said. "But there's no evidence that you didn't. You understand, we're just doing what we have to."

J'onn narrowed his eyes. "And that is?"

Diana looked down, and bit her lower lip. "I'm sorry, J'onn," she said, looking up, "but you're confined to the Watchtower until this situation is resolved."

"So I can't even help in the case?" asked J'onn. "This is my life we're talking about…"

"J'onn, this isn't easy for us," Diana said. "But we have a duty."

"As do I," J'onn said, standing up. "To the men and women who died last night. And to myself." With that, he turned and left the room.

Superman looked at Diana. "He's not going to stay here."

"Yes he is," Diana said. She then ran her hand through her hair, and took a deep breath. "Prepare the restraints."

/

There was a knock at the door. A hand went to the window and slid it open. "Password," a voice whispered.

"Immediately," a voice answered.

The window was slid shut, and the door was opened.

Megan West smiled at Robin. "Can I come in?"

Robin blushed. "You said the password." He moved away from the door, and Megan went into the room. She looked at Robin, and the Boy Wonder's face went redder.

Robin stared at her, then blinked. He then pushed the door shut, and sighed. He looked at the people in the room. Just about everyone was here. Wonder Girl, his twin sister. Grace and Clark Wayne, their little sister and brother. Joel and Lara Kent. And now, Megan. "OK," he said, "the meeting can begin." He took a seat at the front of the group. "Now, you all know about J'onn's situation?"

"I can't believe this is true," Wonder Girl said. "J'onn would never murder anyone."

"Yeah," Clark said. "He's obviously been framed."

"Dad said the only DNA he found at the scene was Martian," stated Robin. "And J'onn's the only Martian left."

"Well, maybe someone… er, had the remains of a Martian, and left it there," Joel said.

"You read too many comic books," said Lara.

"Do not!" yelled Joel.

"OK, OK, let's not fight amongst ourselves," Robin said. "The way I see it, there are two logical explanations. Either, J'onn's not the only Martian still alive, or…" His voice trailed.

Megan looked at him. "Or…?"

Robin sighed. "Or… he's guilty."

"No way!" Grace said. "J'onn's a nice guy – there's no way he'd do this!"

"The evidence clearly points to J'onn, and he has no witne…" Robin said.

"Forget the evidence!" Lara interrupted. "You're just like your dad, Thomas! Always thinking the worst of people!"

"No," Robin replied simply. "I'm just realistic. You're the one with a dad that thinks everything will work itself out in the end…"

"Don't you talk about our dad like that!" Joel said. "Just because you're the Batman's son doesn't give you the right to think you're better than everyone else. And who made you leader of the Junior Justice League anyway?"

Clark raised his hand slightly. "I prefer the name Teen Titans…"

Robin clenched his jaw. "I never said I was the leader. It's just that I seem to be the most mature…"

"Bigheaded you mean!" Joel said.

"Sensible," Robin said.

"Jerk!" Joel shouted.

"Dork," Robin responded.

Wonder Girl got to her feet. "OK, THAT'S ENOUGH!" she yelled. "Stop it, you two, or the grown-ups will hear us! They don't know we have these little meetings, you know!"

"Look, I think we're all just wound-up about the situation," Megan said. "We don't want to believe J'onn did this, but we have to remain opimisick…"

"Optimistic," Robin said.

Megan folded her arms. "Whatever. What I'm saying is, we can't do anything anyway. We have to let our parents handle this."

"Do we?" Robin said, smiling. "Maybe it's time we stopped having secret meetings. Maybe it's time the Junior Justice League…"

"Teen Titans…" Clark murmured.

"… became a superhero team for real," Robin continued. "We can do a little investigating of our own."

"You're forgetting something, Boy Wonder," Joel said. "You and Faith are the only ones who have been given costumes."

"Well, in that case, we'll get news from our Dad and let you guys know," Robin suggested.

"Oh, so you want to have all the glory?" Lara said.

Robin smacked his head. "Oh brother…"

"We don't have costumes either," Grace said, pointing at Clark. "Are we getting some?"

Robin looked at her. "Now, we're not talking about…"

"If you're getting some, we want some," Lara said.

"But that's not the point…"

"I have this doll with this beautiful dress," Wonder Girl said. "We could use it to design a Supergirl costume."

Robin held his hands up. "But… we're not…"

"Ooh, that would be lovely," Lara squealed.

"I want shades," Joel said. "Chicks dig the shades."

"You're only seven," Megan said. "Aren't you getting a bit ahead of yourself?"

Robin moved his head from one to another, trying to get their attention. "Can we get back to…"

"Anyway, I prefer my heroes to be cool and suave," Megan continued. "Like Thomas."

"Megan likes Thomas, Megan likes Thomas!" Clark said.

"I do not!" Megan pouted.

Robin went silent.

"Thomas and Megan, sitting in a tree," Joel sang, "K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"

"Shut up, doofus," Megan said. "I do not like Thomas!" She looked down, her face going red.

Wonder Girl looked at Robin, and smiled. The Boy Wonder had his head in his hands, sighing. "You OK?" she whispered.

"Make it end, make it end…" Robin groaned.

Wonder Girl was about to speak, when there was a knock on the door. When Robin made no movement to answer it, she got up herself and went to the door. "Password," she said.

"Immediately!" came the excited answer.

She opened the door, and Rebecca Queen ran into the room. "Guys, guys, guess what I got!"

"Cloroform?" Robin asked.

"What's colourfoam?" Rebecca asked.

Robin sighed. "Never mind."

Rebecca held a piece of paper out to the kids. "Look! I got a note from Tarran and John! They're coming over!"

/

J'onn sat in the lounge. He was at the table at the back, while his teammates were watching TV. He wanted to join them, but thought it would not be appropriate. Not with things so bad.

Lantern and Flash were watching women's volleyball. Green Arrow was in the corner, reading a sports magazine. Blue Beetle was working on some communications device.

How could this have happened? He was no murderer. How could there be Martian DNA at the crimescene?

He had to find out.

J'onn got to his feet, and went to the door. However, he was stopped by the sound of Lantern's voice.

"Wait a sec, J'onn, where are you going?"

J'onn turned to him. "I can't stay here. I have to find out what's happened."

Flash stood up. "We're sorry, J'onn, but Diana left instructions not to let you off the Watchtower."

J'onn hated this, but he had to do it. "Then you're going to have to stop me." With that, he turned and left the room.

Before he walked five steps, Flash had whizzed infront of him. "J'onn, you can't go. If the cops see you, they'll try and arrest you."

"I'm not going as John Jones," J'onn said. "Please, step aside."

Flash stayed where he was. "No."

J'onn sighed. He then phased his body and walked through Flash. Solidifying his body, he continued on down the corridor.

Lantern, Arrow and Beetle followed Flash as they ran after him. J'onn turned and looked at them, then phased his body again. As they reached the spot where he was standing, J'onn sunk into the floor, and disappeared into the lower levels.

"He's heading for the bottom," Beetle said. "Come on, we have to beat him there."

Flash picked Arrow and Beetle up and put them both over a shoulder. He then began to run to the staircase that ran down the entire Watchtower. Meanwhile, Lantern powered his ring and phased his own body, following J'onn through the floors.

Halfway down, Flash began to tire. "Man, you two need to cut down on the burgers… we'll never reach him…"

"This will buy us some time," Beetle said. He then pressed a button on his belt buckle.

J'onn reached the bottom level of the Watchtower, and glided down towards the floor. However, hatches suddenly opened at the walls, and prods shot out. They then fired high volts of electricity through the room. They hit J'onn full on.

J'onn screamed in agony, and lost the energy to keep his body phased. He slammed to the floor, weak.

The door opened and Flash sped into the room with Arrow and Beetle. He put them down just as Lantern phased through the roof. He solidified himself and landed on the ground. "What now?" he asked.

Arrow reached behind him and pulled out an arrow, then armed pointed it with his bow at J'onn. As J'onn got to his feet, Beetle approached him with restraints. "Come on, J'onn," he said, "come back to the lounge with us…"

"I'm… afraid I… can't do that," J'onn said, as he took deep breaths.

Arrow pulled his bow rope back. "J'onn… this arrow is armed with an incendiary…"

J'onn lifted his leg off the floor.

Arrow pulled his bow line more taunt. "J'onn… don't make me do this…"

Suddenly, J'onn slammed his foot on the ground, and a quake erupted through the floor. It hit the Leaguers, throwing them off their feet. Arrow let go of his arrow, and it shot into the air, hitting the wall and exploding.

As Flash, Lantern, Arrow and Beetle sat up, they looked around. There was a small fire on the roof…

And J'onn was gone…

TO BE CONTINUED


	3. Chapter 3

_DISCLAIMERS/NOTES_

 _1\. This is a fan fiction based on characters owned by DC Comics. I DO NOT OWN THEM. This is just for fun._

 _2\. As always, I'll point out_ _ **this was written over a decade ago**_ _. Here in the UK, Season 2 of the JL cartoon had yet to air, so Hawkgirl had not been revealed as a spy. And the massive, every-hero-in-the-DCU roster of_ Unlimited _wasn't a factor. My timeline picks up after the Season 1 finale,_ The Savage Time _. All my_ Wayback Wednesday _stories are numbered chronologically, if you get stuck._

 _3\. Just to be on the safe side, I DO NOT OWN_ Batman & Robin _, the 1997 movie, either. Dialogue from that film is used just for fun._

 _4\. There are aspects of these stories that, in hindsight, I would change._ _However, I have kept them as I originally wrote them for history's sake. Not laziness._

* * *

PART 3

Alfred lay on the bed, breathing deeply. These daytime rests were becoming more of an occurrence. Soon, he would no longer be able to hide it from his family.

There was a knock at the door, and he slowly turned his head. He sighed. He tried to speak, but his voice caught.

"Alfred? You in there?"

It was Faith.

Alfred smiled, and moved his hands to his side. He then pushed with everything he had, and sat up. The effort was nearly too much, and he could not help a small gasp.

Just as he settled in a seating position, the door opened. Faith looked at him concerned. "Alfred? You OK?"

"Yes, my dear," he said. "Why do you ask?"

She stepped into the room, and went upto the bed. "I was bored. Wondered if you could tell me another story about Dad."

Alfred smiled. For years he had told Bruce's children about his tales as Batman. He would not say everything, of course – he would leave out the violent bits. But Bruce had decided not to hide his alter-ego from his children. If they knew at a young age how important it was, they might become more mature than other children their age. And it had worked. Faith and Thomas were very sensible, and were trusted heroes in their own right, eventhough they were only both eleven.

"What would you like to know?" Alfred asked.

Faith hopped up onto the mattress, and sat infront of him, crosslegged. "Tell me another one where he kicks Joker's butt."

Alfred held his arms out. "Well, there was a time when the Justice League were going against a group of ruffians led by that awful Lex Luthor. You remember him, don't you?"

Faith rested her head in her hands. "I remember Mom and Dad talking about him."

Alfred reached for his pillow, and put it infront of him. Faith lifted her elbows and rested them on it. "Well, anyway, there was this one time your father was captured by his group and the Joker…"

Alfred went onto explain how Batman had tricked the Injustice Gang into fighting amongst themselves, and had escaped and helped defeat them. Faith listened with fascination, as always.

Ten minutes later, Alfred finished his tale and looked at the clock. "Time for tea, little miss," he said. "Go downstairs and sit at the table."

"Alfred, you have to stop telling us when it's teatime," Faith said. "You're not our butler anymore. You taught Mom how to cook."

"Yes," Alfred said, "because your father was hopeless." Suddenly, he felt weak, and lowered his head. He held his head, and took quick breaths.

"Alfred?" Faith said, concerned. "Are you OK?"

He closed his eyes. He did not want to show how tired he was… not infront of the children. "Yes…" he whispered. He forced his head up, and looked at her. He smiled slightly. "Yes… now, go downstairs. You tea will be waiting."

Faith slid off the mattress, and walked towards the door. She took one last look at him, then left the room.

Alfred sat on the bed, his breathing slowing. He had to remain strong… he could not let anyone see how tired he was…

/

J'onn stepped out of the alleyway, and looked at the building across the street.

There was police tape all around the area. Tire marks from when ambulances and police cars drove to and from the building. Cigarette butts littered the ground, dropped by cops and press alike.

J'onn went across the road and stopped a few yards from the New York police station. There was no one there. The reporters had long since gone, the ambulances taken the bodies to the hospital. The building was closed off from the public, and only a skeleton force was in there.

J'onn looked around the area. He had to find out what happened. Batman had said all he found was Martian DNA. Of course, Batman knew what to look for; as far as the police was concerned, John Jones was just a Human. They would not think to look deeper into his fingerprints and look for the traces of Martian DNA.

How could that be possible? J'onn was the last Martian alive…

Was he not?

J'onn phased his body, walking through the police tape. He then turned himself invisible, and walked into the building. Inside, he saw the blood stains still on the wall, and could feel the uneasiness in the air. He entered the main office, and saw the chalklines of the victims on the floor.

J'onn closed his eyes. The body count was in the double-digits.

Suddenly, he heard a sound from the shadows. He ran over to the far wall, but when he got there, he saw nothing. He looked around, but saw nothing except a few cops working at their offices.

He went back to the door, and heard movement again. He tilted his head, attempting to locate the source of the noise.

It was coming from outside.

He glided through the building's door and flew outside. He landed a few yards away, in the middle of the road. Solidifying his body and making himself visible, he looked around. There was definitely something… or someone… here.

"Who's there?" he said. "Show yourself."

"I'm glad to see you still alive."

J'onn froze at the sound of the voice. He recognised it instantly. "No… it can't be…"

A figure slowly materialised a few yards away. It then walked upto J'onn, and smiled. It held out its hand. "Hello, J'onn."

J'onn's eyes widened. "Ma'alefa'ak…"

/

Thomas Wayne pushed the grandfather clock out, and stepped out of the doorway. He pushed the clock back in place, closing the entrance to the Batcave. He then went down the corridor, heading to bed. It was late. He and his father had just come back from another patrol. Batman had arrived late, however. He was in New York investigating the murder scene that J'onn supposedly caused.

Thomas could not believe that J'onn really did it. He had known the Martian all his life, and he was a kind, caring person. There was no way he had done it.

He would help his Dad tomorrow. He had learnt some detective skills himself, and wanted to feel involved. Plus, he wanted to keep his Junior Justice League teammates informed.

Junior Justice League. Thomas sighed. Clark wanted to call the team the Teen Titans…

Maybe when they were an official team…

Thomas reached the staircase, and was about to start walking up, when he saw a figure on the balcony. It was Faith. "Hey…" he whispered. "You OK?"

Faith looked sad, and stroked the banister. "I dunno… have you seen Alfred lately?"

Thomas frowned. "Yeah… I saw him just before I left for the night. Why?"

His twin sister shuffled along the balcony and walked slowly town the stairs. "How was he?"

"He was fine…" Thomas said. "Why do you ask?"

Faith sighed as she reached the ground floor. She went upto him, pushing her hair back as she walked. "Today… he seemed… tired."

"He's only Human," Thomas said. "He's bound to get tired."

"No," Faith said. "I mean… he was really tired. Could hardly sit."

Thomas was confused. "Alfred's fine. He's just relaxing after all these decades of looking after Dad. You're worrying over nothing, sis."

"I've noticed it for a few weeks now…" she said.

Thomas took a step closer to her. "Noticed what?"

"You don't see it, do you?" Faith asked. "How he's hiding the pain all the time. I think… Alfred's sick."

Thomas was speechless. What was she talking about?

"Alfred's not sick… he's dying."

Thomas and Faith turned their heads at the sound of the voice.

Bruce was standing by the lounge doorway.

The twins walked slowly towards him. "Dying…?" Thomas asked. "Why didn't he tell us?"

"You know Alfred, he'd never say anything." Bruce looked ahead of him, past Thomas and Faith. "But I can tell."

Thomas looked at Faith. Her eyes were tearing. "I can't believe it…" he said.

Bruce sighed. "I know."

There was silence, the only sound the ticking of a clock on the wall…

TO BE CONTINUED


	4. Chapter 4

_DISCLAIMERS/NOTES_

 _1\. This is a fan fiction based on characters owned by DC Comics. I DO NOT OWN THEM. This is just for fun._

 _2\. As always, I'll point out_ _ **this was written over a decade ago** , when,_ _here in the UK, Season 2 of the JL cartoon had yet to air. So Hawkgirl had not been revealed as a spy, and the massive, every-hero-in-the-DCU roster of_ Unlimited _wasn't a factor. My timeline picks up after the Season 1 finale, "The Savage Time". All my_ Wayback Wednesday _stories are numbered chronologically, if you get stuck._

 _3\. Just to be on the safe side, I DO NOT OWN_ Batman & Robin _, the 1997 movie, either. Dialogue from that film is used just for fun._

 _4\. I_ also _DO NOT OWN any of DC's_ JLA _run from 1997-2006. Like above, any dialogue from that is used just for fun._

 _5\. There are aspects of these stories that, in hindsight, I would change._ _However, I have kept them as I originally wrote them for history's sake. Not laziness._

* * *

PART 4

Rebecca ran into the kitchen. "They're here! They're here!"

Superman and Flash smiled. "Who's here?" the Man of Steel asked, giving a knowing smile.

Rebecca bounced up and down on the spot. "John and Tarran! John and Tarran!"

Flash put his coffee on the table. "And…" he asked quietly.

"And Hawkman and Hawkwoman," Rebecca said. "But they're GROWN-UPS. They're lame."

"I hope you didn't leave them at the landing bay," Superman said.

"No," said Rebecca. "Mom and Kyle are welcoming them in. Come on, let's go say hi!" She then ran out of the door.

Superman and Flash sighed. They got to their feet, putting their mugs in the sink as they passed. "Will you be OK?" Superman asked.

Flash frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Seeing her."

Flash was silent. It had been so long. Shayera had left Earth over two years ago, after she remarried and moved back to Thanagar. Since then, they had only seen her sporadically. She had left the League, rejoined the force on her homeworld, and started her life again.

Restarted her life. It still made Flash's heart ache. He thought that if she and John ever split up, he would be there to take his place. But again, he was too late. She had already found someone else.

Flash sighed. The Fastest Man Alive being too late. It was almost funny.

He loved Linda. Truly he did. But Shayera was always…

The one that got away.

"I'll be fine," he said. "It's all in the past."

They went to the lounge in silence. When they got there, they were greeted by Rebecca, Black Canary, Green Lantern, Joel and Lara, and Megan. Sitting on the sofa were Kator and Shayera Hol, and her two children from her marriage with John, John Jr. and Tarran.

Superman went upto them. "Hi guys," he said. "It's great to see you."

Kator stood up and shook the Man of Steel's hand. "You too, Kal. How is everything?"

Lantern held the back of his neck. "Well… things could be better…"

"We saw the news feeds as we arrived," Shayera said. "How's J'onn?"

"We don't know," Superman said. "He's gone."

Kator frowned. "Gone?"

"Yeah, he was confined to the Watchtower," Canary said, "but he escaped."

"Where's he gone?" said Shayera.

"We don't know," responded Superman. "Diana, Blue Beetle, Green Arrow and Jade are looking for him. We're going to join them later."

Shayera sighed. "Looks like we picked a wrong time to visit…"

"Don't be silly," Flash said. "It's good to see you."

Shayera smiled at him. Flash knew she knew he had always loved her, but was discreet enough not to talk about it. "Really?" she said.

Flash nodded, and saw the bump of her stomach. She was about four months pregnant with her and Kator's child.

It could have been his…

He sighed. "Yeah… yeah it is."

/

J'onn could not believe his eyes.

There, standing a few yards away, was his brother.

Ma'alefa'ak.

He stood, frozen on the spot. This could not be happening. First he is accused of a mass-murder that he did not commit, then his friends keep him from trying to find out what happened, and now…

It could not be so.

The Martian took a step towards him. "Brother… aren't you glad to see me?"

J'onn frowned. "You… can't be Ma'alefa'ak. He… died during the war…"

"No, J'onn," the person claiming to be Ma'alefa'ak said. "I was taken captive by the Invaders. But I escaped. I've come to take you back."

J'onn was confused. "Back…?"

Ma'ale'fa'ak waved to the sky. "There are more of us, brother. Survivors from the war. We escaped before Mars was ravaged of its energy, before it became the wasteland it is now. We searched the galaxy, looking for a new home. But then we found out you were still alive… we had to come back."

J'onn began to back away. He felt weak all over. His mind was cloudy. What he was hearing was… unbelievable. "There are others…?" he breathed.

"Yes," said Ma'ale'fa'ak. "Our ship has a cloak, which is why this pitiful planet didn't detect us. We've come to take you back."

"Back where…?" J'onn asked.

"Back with us," his brother responded. "Back with your own. You don't belong here, J'onn. Those people you befriended have turned their backs on you. This planet thinks you're a freak. There is no place for you now… except with us."

J'onn held his head. "What about… my friends…"

"You don't need to worry about them anymore," Ma'ale'fa'ak said. "They're not your friends. They'll be destroyed… along with everyone else on this planet."

J'onn lowered his head. His brother… Martians… wanting to kill… destroy… it was not possible… he could not be… he…

He was NOT…

J'onn looked up, his mind clear. "You're NOT my brother," he said. "No Martian would ever want to conquer… at least, no GREEN Martians…"

Ma'ale'fa'ak's smile faded, and he frowned. "Sentimental green fool…" Suddenly, he fired energy blasts from his eyes. Before he could react, J'onn was hit full-on. He flew backwards, crashing into the ground several yards away.

As he looked up, J'onn saw the Martian stride closer to him. "We gave you a chance…" he said. Slowly, his form began to change. His body contorted, and it reshaped, the skin colour changing, the head changing shape, teeth growing, and a tail appearing.

There, standing a few feet away from J'onn, was a White Martian.

J'onn's eyes widened. "Moons of Mars…"

In the sky, a massive object appeared from the clouds. It was hundreds of metres long, and the front was shaped like a Martian skull…

It was a White Martian warship…

The White Martian looked down at him. "Say, 'aaaaaaah!'"

/

Bruce went towards the door, and stopped inches from it. He considered knocking, but he knew it would be alright. This was not a time for formalities.

He slowly turned the doorhandle, and opened the door. He looked inside, and saw a figure in the bed. The figure turned its head and its eyes widened.

"Sir," Alfred said, as he pushed himself up to a sitting position. "My apologies. I must have overslept. I did not mean to stay here as long as I have…"

Bruce put up his hand, and walked into the room. "It's OK, Alfred, first time it's happened in forty years…" He slowly closed the door behind him, and faced his longtime friend.

"Can I help you, sir?" Alfred asked.

Bruce smiled. "Alfred, you don't have to call me 'sir' anymore. You haven't been my butler for three years…"

"Old habits die hard," the Englishman said. "What can I do for you?"

Bruce went closer to the bed. "Alfred… are you well?"

Alfred tilted his head. "As well as can be expected, sir. Why do you ask?"

Bruce sat down on the side of the bed, and sighed. "My friend, I know you're sick. Now I can get you the best doctors…"

Alfred raised an eyebrow. "A gentleman does not discuss his frailties," he said. "It is not civilised. I hope I have taught you that much, Master Bruce."

Bruce smiled. "That and so much more…"

Alfred turned and looked outside his window. It was still dark outside. "I believe it is nearly 8am," he said. "Have you rested from your night's gallivanting?"

Bruce was silent. Alfred had never changed. Always putting others before himself. Never admit that something was wrong. He was so stubborn.

Like father, like son.

Suddenly, Bruce heard a voice from downstairs. "Dad?"

Bruce looked at his lifelong friend. "Will you excuse me, Alfred?"

Alfred nodded. "Of course, sir."

Bruce slowly got to his feet, and went to the door. He took one last look at the old man in the bed, then left the room.

Walking down the corridor, Bruce approached the stairs, and saw Clark standing at the bottom. "I'm here," he said. "What is it?"

Clark had a communications device in his hand. Bruce had given all his family members one so they to keep in contact with eachother. "Mom's called."

Bruce went to the edge of the stairs. Diana had spent the entire night with other League members looking for J'onn. "What is it?"

Clark held out the communications device. "They've found J'onn."

TO BE CONTINUED


	5. Chapter 5

_DISCLAIMERS/NOTES_

 _1\. This is a fan fiction based on characters owned by DC Comics. I DO NOT OWN THEM. This is just for fun._

 _2\. As always, I'll point out_ _ **this was written over a decade ago** , when,_ _here in the UK, Season 2 of the JL cartoon had yet to air. So Hawkgirl had not been revealed as a spy, and the massive, every-hero-in-the-DCU roster of_ Unlimited _wasn't a factor. My timeline picks up after the Season 1 finale, "The Savage Time". All my_ Wayback Wednesday _stories are numbered chronologically, if you get stuck._

 _3\. I_ _DO NOT OWN any of DC's_ JLA _run from 1997-2006. Any dialogue from that is used just for fun._

 _5\. There are aspects of these stories that, in hindsight, I would change._ _However, I have kept them as I originally wrote them for history's sake. Not laziness._

* * *

PART 5

J'onn flew back, hitting the brick wall hard. He slumped to the floor, blood trickling from his mouth and head.

His vision was blurry, and his head felt like a lead weight. He saw figures approaching him… and he knew he could not take much more.

The White Martians had returned. They had left Mars during the Invasion, abandoning their green brothers in the terrible war. They had roamed the galaxy for nearly one thousand years… conquering planets. Now, they had returned to the Solar System, to claim the biggest prize.

The leader neared J'onn. "This is fun," he said. "We never thought we'd get another chance to pound one of our green bigheaded politicians into oblivion. You are a fine starter before the main course."

J'onn spat the blood out of his mouth. "You'll never take this world…" he said. "My friends will stop you…"

"What friends?" the White Martian said. "They think you're a murderer. They turned their backs on you… like the freak you are. Did you really think they cared for you? You're kidding yourself. You're a Green Martian. If your own people hate you, what makes you think these lowly lifeforms wouldn't?

J'onn was about to answer, when he heard footsteps approaching. He slowly turned his head at the entrance of the police station. Two officers ran out, guns pointed. "OK, everyone, I don't know what you are, but we lost some fine people today… and we're not in the mood for anymore trash! You're all under arrest!"

The White Martian hissed. "I like when my food fights back…" Suddenly, he shot his arm out, the limb expanding like a rubber band. He enlarged his hand, and grabbed both officers and held them in the air.

"No…" J'onn gasped. "Let them go…" However, another White Martian slashed him across the face, tearing his skin.

"You're not in a position to give orders," the lead White Martian said. "Besides, who can stop us? You can't. You're finished. And where are these friends you say you have? They've abandoned you, haven't they?" He flew his other arm out, grabbing J'onn by the neck. "You make me sick. You think you've made friends here? Where are your friends now?"

"Where we always are."

The White Martian turned his head at the sound of the voice.

The Javelin-7 was set on the ground on the other side of the street. Infront of it, was Superman, Diana, Green Lantern, the Flash, Green Arrow, Black Canary, Blue Beetle and Hawkman. Superman held a White Martian by the neck, then threw him down on the ground. "Right here."

/

Superman looked at the White Martian. "Put them down."

The White Martian looked at the people in his hands. In one hand he held J'onn, the other, two police officers. "Make me," he said.

Suddenly, a gold lasso flew through the air, wrapping itself around one of the Martian's arms. He looked at the other end of the rope, and Diana stood, feet firmly on the ground. She then pulled with everything she had, and the Martian's arm flew forward.

Taking his chance, Superman leapt at the White Martian, crashing into him at near the speed of sound. The force of the impact sent the Martian back, and he released his grip on J'onn and the police officers. He landed in a heap on the ground, several yards away.

The Justice League grouped together. There were four more White Martians on the street, and no telling how many on their warship. However, so far, none had flown down and joined them.

The Martians flew at the League, and the heroes braced themselves for battle…

Meanwhile, Superman stood over the lead White Martian. "What do you want?" he asked. "Why are you after J'onn?"

The Martian got to his feet. "We wanted to give him one last chance…" he said. "We set him up so you'd think he was a murderer. He'd feel abandoned, and he'd come with us. But being the green moron he is, he didn't see what was good for him. So he's just going to have to die with the rest of you pathetic Humans…"

"What do you want with Earth?" said Superman. "These people have never done anything to you…"

"We'd never done anything to the Invaders," the Martian said. "But they didn't care. They taught us that there's only one way to survive in this universe, and that's by conquering. We've come back to take things closer to home."

"We won't let you," Superman said.

"You think you have a choice…" Suddenly, the White Martian shot energy blasts out of his eyes, hitting Superman hard. The Man of Steel went to one knee, his chest smoking. "Not so strong now, are you…?" The White Martian began to laugh, but fell silent when Superman slowly got to his feet.

"You want strong?" he said. He then shot blasts from his own eyes, but they hurt the Martian more than his did on him…

The Martian was engulfed in flame.

"ARRRRRRRRRRRRRGH!" The White Martian flung around, trying to blow the fire off.

Meanwhile, Flash ran around another Martian, trying to knock him down. However, the Martian simply stood and laughed. "Pathetic Human…" He then backhanded Flash, and the Scarlet Speedster went flying into the side of the Javelin.

Shayera looked out of the ship's window. "Flash!" With her were John Jr., Tarran, Megan and Rebecca. She looked as she saw Flash try to get to his feet. However, the White Martian approached him. "Flash! Look out!"

Suddenly, the White Martian was struck from behind by an arrow. On impact, the arrow's tip exploded, and the Martian was set aflame. Arrow knelt a few yards away, his bow already rearmed with another incindary arrow. He looked around and saw another alien run upto him. "Take this, you ugly son of a…" He fired the arrow, and it hit the Martian, and he too burst into flames.

A female Martian approached Diana. "You think you can defeat me, little girl?" she said. "Nothing will stop our invasion."

"Really?" Diana said, smiling. She then removed two small pellets from under her belt, and held them out in each hand.

"What's that?" asked the White Martian.

"Just something I learned from my husband," Diana said. She then flicked one of the pellets into the air, and it hit the Martian's chest splitting in two. A foul-smelling liquid began to spill down the Martian's front.

The Martian looked up, but Diana had already thrown the second pellet. It hit the alien's chest and split open. It released a spark…

And set the gasoline on fire…

As the White Martian screamed with fear, Diana flew upto her… and hit her hard in the face. The Martian fell to the ground, out cold.

Lantern and another White Martian traded blows, Lantern having formed a suit of armour around his body. However, his concentration was leaning, and the Martian was cracking the armour with each blow.

Lantern looked at the ground, and saw the other Martian's on fire. He then flew away from the one he was fighting, and dropped the armour. "Admitting defeat, pathetic creature…?" the Martian said.

Lantern smiled. "Nope. Just that, I just had a dollop of inspiration, and all us artists need…" He then held out his hand, and his ring let out a ball of emerald flame.

The Martian stopped his approach, and looked at him. "That's not real fire," he said. "That can't do anything to me…"

"Maybe," Lantern said. "Maybe not. Y'see, my ring creates anything my willpower can think of, and us Green Lanterns are wellknown for our willpower. Thing is… have YOU got enough willpower to overcome this flame?"

The Martian stammered. "Only real flame can hurt us…"

"But your eyes are telling you this is real flame," Lantern said. "Your nose tells you this is real flame. Want to reach out and touch it?"

The Martian hovered in mid-air, hesitant. "That's… not… real flame…"

Lantern glided closer, the fire getting bigger. "Come over here and find out."

The Martian slowly reached out with his hand, trembling. His eyes widened, and his voice choked. "That's… not…"

Suddenly, he pulled his hand back. "No! I… can't!"

"Oh well," Lantern said. "Let me show you then. He then threw his arm out, and the emerald fire shot out, engulfing the Martian. The Martian screamed with fear, and plummeted to the ground. He landed on the street, creating a crater as he crashed down.

Superman watched as the lead White Martian flailed around, trying to dissipate the flames. "Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrgh!" The Martian screamed in agony, and his form began to change.

His shape contorted, and he began to uncontrollably morph. His features changed, and he shapeshifted into the form of Ma'ale'fa'ak. The League neared him, and his body changed again. His form became more Human, and he fell to his knees.

The police officers looked in shock. "Look," one of them said, pointing at the White Martian, "he looks just like John Jones!"

The Martian then fell to the ground, and his body morphed back into its natural state. The flames on him began to die

"Er, Arrow," Flash said, "you got anymore fire arrows?"

"That won't be necessary," Superman said. He then pointed to the sky. Everyone followed his gaze.

The Batwing soured down from the clouds.

Batman sat in the jet's cockpit, and pressed a button on his control console. A hatch opened at the bottom of the craft, and several boxes fell to the ground with parachutes.

"Flash, get J'onn into the Javelin," Superman said. Flash sped upto J'onn, picked him up, and ran into the ship. He ran out and closed the door, leaving J'onn, Shayera and the children safe inside.

The boxes landed on the ground, and Superman waved everyone back. "Stand back." He then fired his heat vision, and hit one of the boxes. The box immediately burst into flames, the dynamite within exploding. Superman did the same with the other boxes, and in seconds, the street was covered in flame.

The lead White Martian tried to stand, but he was too weak. He slowly looked up. "You think you've won…" he said.

Suddenly, a sound could be heard from the sky. Everyone looked up, to see a hatch had been opened at the bottom of the White Martian warship. A large object plummeted towards the ground.

"Everyone scatter!" Superman ordered, and everyone ran back. He flew into the air, into the path of the object.

From inside the Javelin, J'onn recognised the object. He immediately contacted Diana telepathically. "Diana… get Superman out of its way! He won't survive!"

Diana frowned. "But…"

"NOW!"

Diana shot into the air, swinging her lasso. She then threw it upwards, and it wrapped around Superman's ankle. She pulled with all her strength, and the Man of Steel was knocked off course. He flailed around in the air, as the object flew past.

The object crashed into the ground, creating a tremor that knocked everyone of their feet. It created a crater in the ground, and sat there, smoke rising from the pavement.

It was a large, round steel contraption. It had windows on the sides, and what looked like a propeller could be seen inside.

Superman and Diana landed on the ground. "Diana, what are you doing?"

"J'onn told me to stop you," she said.

He looked at the object. "What is it?"

Suddenly, the object lit up, it began to hum, and the propeller began to spin.

J'onn looked out of the Javelin window. "No…"

Shayera looked at him. "J'onn, what is it?"

J'onn pressed his hands against the glass, his eyes wide. "The Z'orr Bomb…"

TO BE CONTINUED


	6. Chapter 6

_DISCLAIMERS/NOTES_

 _1\. This is a fan fiction based on characters owned by DC Comics. I DO NOT OWN THEM. This is just for fun._

 _2\. As always, I'll point out_ _ **this was written over a decade ago** , when,_ _here in the UK, Season 2 of the JL cartoon had yet to air. So Hawkgirl had not been revealed as a spy, and the massive, every-hero-in-the-DCU roster of_ Unlimited _wasn't a factor. My timeline picks up after the Season 1 finale, "The Savage Time". All my_ Wayback Wednesday _stories are numbered chronologically, if you get stuck._

 _3\. There are aspects of these stories that, in hindsight, I would change._ _However, I have kept them as I originally wrote them for history's sake. Not laziness._

* * *

PART 6

Everyone stared at the machine imbedded in the street. Around them were small flames, keeping the enemy at bay. A black jet flew down from the sky, landing on the ground.

Superman looked at the lead White Martian. "What is this?"

The Martian looked at him. "It's… the Z'orr Bomb. It'll destroy… everything in its path… leaving this world clear for our brothers to conquer…"

Diana went upto him. "What are you talking about?"

"There are another sixty-five of us…" the Martian whispered. "They are in suspended animation. Once they awake, all that will be left of this planet will be a desert… leaving it clear for them to rebuild it…"

"How do we stop it?" asked Superman.

The Martian smiled. "You can't…" He then fell to the ground, unconscious.

Superman looked at his teammates. "Everyone get away from here. I'll try and stop it somehow…"

"You can't."

Everyone looked at the Javelin. J'onn was inside, looking back through the window. He had contacted them all telepathically. "Once the machine starts, it can't be stopped."

"What is this?" Diana asked out loud. "What's it going to do?"

J'onn sighed. "The Z'orr Bomb was created by the White Martians in preparation of an attack on Mars," he thought, sending the message telepathically to all the heroes. "They called it the Z'orr Bomb, as they designed it and planned to test it at our planet's capital. But before they could, the Invaders arrived. The White Martians abandoned Mars, taking the bomb with them."

"What's it designed to do?" asked Batman, walking upto the group.

"The bomb is designed to disintegrate everything within a fifty-mile radius," J'onn continued. "The propeller inside spins, expanding the strength of the bomb's explosion. Once it reaches 10,000 spins, the bomb is detonated, and…"

"And…?" Flash pressed.

"And everything in the blast zone is decimated," J'onn answered. "Nothing is left. No rubble. No debris. No bodies. Nothing. All that's left is a wasteland."

There were gasps from several Leaguers. "How can we stop it?" Superman asked unfazed.

"You can't," replied J'onn. "The bomb is protected by a forcefield. Anything that tries to break it are killed. You can't even get near it."

"What if we reversed the spin of the propeller?" asked Batman.

J'onn was silent, then answered, "If the mechanism was to be reversed, the explosion would be turned inwards and become an implosion. The machine would destroy itself, and the outward explosion would only be a few feet."

"How could we make the propeller go the other way?" Hawkman asked.

"If we created a force strong enough to fight the flow of the propeller," Beetle said, "it would override the mechanism, and make it spin in the opposite direction. But we'd need something incredibly fast."

"I'll do it," Superman said. "Clear the area."

"No."

Everyone turned at the voice.

Flash strode upto them. "You might not be fast enough. And the world needs you." He looked down, then straightened up, looking at them. "I'll do it."

"What?" Lantern said. "You can't! You'll be killed!"

Flash looked at him, determination on his face. Before anyone could say or do anything, he ran towards the Javelin.

He entered the ship and went to Shayera. He held her by the shoulders and looked at her sadly. "I love you." Shayera looked at him, her expression a mixture of concern and worry. However, before she could say anything, he kissed her passionately.

He broke the kiss, and looked at Megan. "I love you all." He then clenched his jaw, and ran out of the ship.

Before the other heroes could do anything, Flash neared the machine and began to run around it. He continued, circling the machine, inches from the forcefield.

"Flash, don't!" Diana shouted. She tried to run to him, but Batman held her back.

"It's too late," he said. "He's made his decision."

Flash ran faster and faster, his body moving at incredible speed. He became nothing more than a red blur, and he created a small sonic boom as he broke the sound barrier.

Shayera watched from the Javelin. "J'onn, stop him! He can't do this! Stop him!"

"I can't," J'onn said sadly. "He's our only hope."

Flash continued running. He moved, faster and faster, harder and harder, never slowing down.

The propeller continued to spin.

He pushed further… moving his legs faster than they had ever moved before…

He gritted his teeth… his legs began to tire…

But he never slowed down.

His eyes began to water… he began to tremble…

But still he continued, running faster and faster…

The propeller's spin began to slow…

Everyone watched wide-eyed. The flames began to dissipate due to the wind Flash was making… but the Martians were too weak to move.

He carried on… pushing himself further and further… further than he had ever gone…

The propeller stopped, then slowly… began to move in the opposite direction…

Flash took deep breaths, sweat running off his body. His fists were clenched, his knuckles white under his gloves. His legs felt like jelly… his feet were sore, his boots wearing away…

Still he continued.

The propeller's spin got faster and faster, the mechanism reversing…

Flash continued, moving faster and faster. His body was in agony, but he pushed forward… going further and further…

The propeller moved as he ran, gaining speed with each spin…

Tears ran from his eyes… his teeth chattered… his protective aura began to break down…

The heroes looked on, open-mouthed, some of them with teary eyes…

Flash's costume began to tear… his skin began to split…

He approached the speed of light…

The propeller continued to spin…

Flash moved faster… his legs weak, but continuing forward…

He blinked as tears poured from his eyes…

"Shayera… Linda… I… love…"

The machine then exploded…

TO BE CONCLUDED


	7. Chapter 7

_DISCLAIMERS/NOTES_

 _1\. This is a fan fiction based on characters owned by DC Comics. I DO NOT OWN THEM. This is just for fun._

 _2\. As always, I'll point out_ _ **this was written over a decade ago** , when,_ _here in the UK, Season 2 of the JL cartoon had yet to air. So Hawkgirl had not been revealed as a spy, and the massive, every-hero-in-the-DCU roster of_ Unlimited _wasn't a factor. My timeline picks up after the Season 1 finale, "The Savage Time". All my_ Wayback Wednesday _stories are numbered chronologically, if you get stuck._

 _3._ _I DO NOT OWN_ Batman & Robin _, the 1997 movie, either. Dialogue from that film is used just for fun_

 _4\. There are aspects of these stories that, in hindsight, I would change._ _However, I have kept them as I originally wrote them for history's sake. Not laziness._

* * *

PART 7

Shayera walked slowly to the crater.

It could not be…

Hawkman ran upto her. "Shy, don't! It's too dangerous!"

Shayera brushed him aside. "Shut up, Kator."

She went to the crater, and stared.

There was nothing there. Just as J'onn said. The machine had been disintegrated. Nothing was left but a smoking crater.

Nothing.

She looked down.

There was a small line of fire around the crater, in a circler shape.

Tread marks.

Her eyes watered.

He was gone.

She heard footsteps behind her. "DADDYYYYYYYY!"

Megan ran up to Shayera's side, incredibly fast. Shayera stopped her with her arm. "No…" she whispered. "He's gone."

Megan looked at her, tears running down her face. "No! He can't be! He's still alive… he has to be! Go and get him! You're his friends…"

Shayera sighed. "We can't. He's gone."

Megan buried her head in Shayera's side, crying profusely.

Shayera closed her eyes, and took a deep breath.

The man who loved her was gone.

It was then that she realised how much he meant to her. She never returned his affections… but it did not matter. He still loved her. And in return, she loved him.

He lived his life in torture, she knew that. He was always trying to run away from his feelings. But he never lost them. And at the same time… he was searching for hers. But he never found them.

But she had his… and would cherish them for the rest of her life.

She sniffed as tears ran down her face.

She hoped he found peace at last.

/

Talia watched the screen, paying close attention.

It was a news report from New York. The reporter was standing infront of the city's police station.

"I'm here at the New York Police Department, where the charges against Detective John Jones have been dropped. As revealed by the Justice League, Jones was framed by an army of 'White Martians', who tried to use the commotion caused by the affair to attack the city and began their plan to conquer the world. However, the League defeated them, but not without a cost. Wally West, better known as the Flash, was killed in the altercation, sacrificing himself to save the millions in New York. Earlier on I talked with Detective John Jones."

"I'm pleased that I am no longer wanted for murder, but this is a bittersweet time. I want to thank the Justice League, both for proving my innocence, and saving the city. Along with Keystone, the New York City Police Department will honour the memory of the Flash, and make sure his sacrifice was not in vain by continuing to protect the people of New York."

"The funeral for the Flash will take place at a secret location, attended by close friends and family. There will be a public memorial at a later date, and it is expected that thousands of people will make the trip to Keystone to pay their last respects to a great hero. Back to Bob in the news room."

Talia watched as the screen went blank. She turned and looked at the figure sitting in the chair beside her. He wore regal clothes, and held his hands infront of him.

"What do you make of this occurrence, Talia?" he asked.

Talia rested her head in her hand. "I think it's beneficial to your plans."

The man smiled. "Correct. Now, how do you suggest we capitalise on this situation?"

"I'm sure whatever you think of will succeed," she said.

"You should get some rest, Talia," he said. "I know you have been worried these past few weeks. But don't worry – your Beloved will not come to harm."

"Yes, you promised he would not," Talia said. "But remember – the woman is mine."

The man nodded. "Of course. Now retire to your room."

Talia got to her feet. "Yes."

The man looked at the bodyguard at the door, then back at Talia. "Yes, what?"

Talia sighed. "Yes, father."

She left the room. Soon, her Beloved would be hers. And the woman who stole him would be dead.

She would annihilate all those who had hurt her. She looked forward to finally having her revenge…

/

"We are gathered here today, to pay our last respects to those passed. Wally West is with us no more in body, but will forever be with us, in spirit."

The Justice League stood around the coffin, surrounded by the West family. Linda West was standing at the front, crying into a tissue, Megan leaning against her side. Superman, Diana, Green Lantern, J'onn J'onzz, Green Arrow, Blue Beetle and Black Canary stood still, looking down as the coffin was slowly lowered into the grave.

The coffin was empty. There was no body; nothing to bury. But Linda had insisted on the funeral… she wanted to say goodbye. She watched as the coffin rested gently on the soil, tears pouring down her face.

Walter West, the Flash, was dead. The Earth had lost one of its greatest heroes. Friends, family and colleagues alike had come from all over the country, indeed, the galaxy, to pay their last respects.

Shayera watched from the side, holding Tarran's arm. Kator was standing behind her, holding John Jr. in his arms. Shayera wanted to be closer, but she did not think it was appropriate. His widow was in mourning; she would not want to see the other woman her husband loved.

She did not know if Linda knew, of course. But she would feel too uncomfortable. She was grief-stricken enough. She did not want to make things worse.

Shayera looked a few feet away and saw a man she did not recognise. Well… she did recognise a lot of people there. She had hardly ever met Flash's family. But this man seemed out of place.

He had wild hair, in a style that was years out of date. He wore large round glasses, and had a small moustache. He looked quite well-built, but looked a bit like a sleazeball.

Shayera sighed. Flash must have known him somehow. She looked away from him, and saw someone else a few feet away.

She blinked.

It was him.

The rest of the service passed by quickly. The coffin was released, Linda threw a hankerchief on the wooden top, Megan threw a sealed envelope with "Daddy" written on it next to it. The grave was filled up.

And he was gone.

Twenty minutes later, the Justice League stood in a group. They all looked sad. They were silent, unsure of what to say to eachother. Diana had tears tricking down her face, and the sleazeball approached her. Shayera frowned, but the sleazeball looked at her, and withdrew.

"Why did he do it?" Superman eventually said.

Shayera sighed. "I think… he wanted to."

Everyone looked at her.

"I just… know," she said quietly.

Lantern held his head. "I can't believe he's gone. He really made me feel welcome when I came back to Earth. He was the greatest."

"He always made us feel welcome, feel good about ourselves," Beetle said. "Remember when I joined the team? He spent a week showing me around, answering all my questions. And we did the greatest prank…"

"I know," Arrow said. "I still can't get the stains out."

Everyone laughed softly, but Shayera looked at the sleazeball. She did not like the way he hovered around them. "Excuse me," she said. "Who are you?"

The sleazeball went upto her. "Malone's the name. Matches Malone. I was a friend of the Flashter. We went bowling in college."

"Well, with all due respect, this is a private conversation," Shayera said. "We don't know you."

Malone looked at Superman and Diana. The Man of Steel looked at him, and sighed. Diana looked pained, tears still running down her face.

Malone looked at Shayera, and slowly removed his glasses. His smile fell, and his tone dropped. "You do know me, Shayera."

Shayera's eyes widened. She immediately recognised the voice.

Malone put his hand on Diana's shoulder, and Diana smiled softly.

Shayera looked at them. "Oh." She then looked away, and saw a figure in the distance. "Will you excuse me for a moment?" She then slowly walked away from the group.

She approached the figure, who was wearing a black coat and glasses. She had not seen him for years, but he had not aged a day. "Hello, John," she said.

John Stewart remained unfazed. "Hello, Shayera. How… are you?"

Shayera sighed. "I've been better. You?"

"Busy," he said. "The Guardians have had me all over the place." His face softened. "How… are the kids?"

"They're good," she said. "Why don't you go see them?"

John looked at the group a few metres away. He saw Kator, holding his son in his arms, and his daughter by the hand. He looked back at Shayera, and stared at her stomach. "It's OK," he said. "You look busy. I can see them next time I have them."

Shayera looked down. "OK…"

John turned his head at the gravesite. "I heard about what happened. I'm sorry. He was a fine man."

Shayera followed his gaze, her eyes watering. "The best."

"If you'll excuse me," he said. He turned back to her. "It's… good to see you again." With that, he turned away and walked to the gravesite. He stood infront of the grave, staring at the tombstone.

Shayera sighed. He never got on with Flash, but he still came. She knew it was not easy for him… they had hardly spoken since the divorce, and except for picking up the kids, he rarely visited. But still… he came.

"Shayera, honey, it's time to go."

She turned around and saw Kator and the children looking at her. Everyone was going back to the Watchtower.

She turned away, and took one last look at John. She then turned around, and slowly walked back to her family…

/

Bruce went up the staircase slowly. His heart was heavy. It had been a hard time. Flash's death had hit them all hard. It would be some time before normalcy would resume. If it ever did.

It was a difficult. And it was about to get even harder.

He reached the top of the balcony and saw Diana standing by a door. Her arms were wrapped around her self, and her face was red from crying. He went upto her and sighed, stopping inches away from her. He raised his arms and stroked her arms. "How is he?"

Diana was silent, and let out a sob. "The kids have said goodnight. He wanted to talk to me for a bit… Bruce… I think…"

Bruce sighed. "I know."

Tears poured down her face. "There's nothing we can do, is there?"

Bruce looked down. "No."

Diana looked at him. "He wants to see you."

Bruce looked at the door. "OK. Go to bed. I'll be there soon."

"Bruce…"

"Please," he said. "Try and get some sleep."

She looked at him sadly, then kissed him gently on the lips. She then slipped out of his soft embrace, and walked down the corridor. She took one last look at him, and he nodded that it was OK. She then turned around and went to their bedroom.

Bruce looked at the door. He delicately put his hand to the handle, and turned it.

He opened the door, and looked inside.

It was dark in the room, the only light a single bedside lamp.

Bruce went into the room, closing the door behind him. He looked at the man in the bed.

Alfred slowly turned his head and looked at him. He smiled weakly. "Hello, Master Bruce…" he whispered.

Bruce went upto the bed, and sat on the side. He was silent, and stared at the man who had been like a father to him for forty years…

"I spend my whole life trying to beat back death…" he said softly. "All the things I can do… and I can't save you."

Alfred took a deep breath. "There's no defeat… in death… Master Bruce…"

Bruce cleared his throat. Despite all his training… he was finding it hard to compose himself. "You've taught me everything worth knowing…" he said. "You've been my lifeline…"

"And you've been mine…" Alfred whispered.

"I'm sorry…" Bruce said. "For everything. I've taken you for granted all these years… I never stopped to realise just how… much you mean to me…"

Alfred smiled. "Do not grieve, Master Bruce… I've led a long, happy life. It's my time…"

"I…" Bruce did not know what to say. He was always terrible at this sort of thing. "Alfred… have you ever… regretted… your life here?"

Alfred shook his head slowly. "You can't go through your life regretting… or your life would not have been worth living… and mine has… for… I have the honour… of calling you 'son'…"

Bruce closed his eyes. This was one of the hardest things he ever had to do… but he had to do it. He lived his life in constant danger… never knowing if he would come home. Now that he had the chance… he was going to say goodbye.

He looked at his mentor. He looked so weak, and his breathing was ragged. His eyes were tired, and his hand rested on his chest as it rose slowly as he breathed.

Bruce took his hand in his, and held it tight. "I love you, Alfred."

Alfred smiled. "And I love you too…"

Bruce leant down, and kissed Alfred on the cheek. He then sat up, and held his lifelong friend's hand to his face.

They stayed in silence.

After a few minutes, Alfred looked at the ceiling. His eyes went blank. "Goodbye… Bruce…"

Bruce held his hand tighter.

He was gone.

Bruce leant down, clutching the lifeless hand to his chest. He rested his head on the still chest, and closed his eyes tight.

The tears flowed freely from his eyes…

THE END


End file.
